Haryana agrees to Chandigarh airport's nomenclature

Ludhiana, Aug 9 (UNI) Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today reiterated that Haryana had no objection to the naming of the International Airport of Chandigarh after Shaheed Bhagat Singh.

''Haryana fully supports the naming of the airport as Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport,'' Mr Hooda said while addressing the mediapersons after inaugurating the Advanced Hernia Surgery Centre and Advanced Piles Surgery Centre of Diwan Hospital here.

Mr Hooda said, ''It is a matter of pride that when today we are celebrating the 66th anniversary of Quit India movement, the International Airport of Chandigarh of two states of Haryana and Punjab is named after great martyr Bhagat Singh.'' He said belonging to a family of freedom fighters, he could never oppose such a nomenclature. ''I had never raised objections or opposed the naming of International Airport of Chandigarh as Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, Chandigarh.'' Speaking on the facilities extended to the freedom fighters in Haryana, he said the state government had increased their pensions and they were also given Dearness Allowance.

He said the families of freedom fighters should be given the status of ''families of nation'' and they should be honoured on the occasion of Independence Day.

Regarding a separate Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, he replied that the committee which had been constituted under the chairmanship of Agriculture Minister Harmohinder Singh Chatha had been told to submit its report within fifteen days.

Any decision on this issue would only be taken after studying and analysing the contents of this report, he asserted.

Speaking on the Olympics Games, he said the Haryana government had increased the prize money to winners of Olympic medals.

Now, the gold medalist of Olympics would be given Rs two crore, silver medalist Rs one crore and bronze medalist Rs 50 lakh.